Kolkata Knight Riders v Delhi Daredevils at Kolkata
Delhi who got off to a rollicking start in the league have now lost four of their eight matches. Kolkata are too on same points and there’s not much difference in net run rates too.
Men at the Helm
Both the captains have led from the front to win games for their teams. Other thing both have in common is that, both have persuaded on field umpires to refer decisions to the third umpire. Issues apart, both have been doing fairly good jobs and have been aggressive and intensive.
We have the bat
If Delhi have had Sehwag and Gambhir performing, Kolkata have had Ganguly and Hussey performing. Other batsmen haven’t yet come to the party. De Villiers and Karthik for Delhi and Butt and Hafeez for Kolkata have pressure on them to perform well now.
We have the ball
Both the teams are pretty well matched in the bowling department too. If Delhi have Mc Grath and Asif, Kolkata have Ishant and Gul. While Kolkata have Murali Kartik, Delhi may just miss a quality spinner like Vettori.
Patrolling Party
Kolkata have fielded brilliantly in the last two matches. Delhi as its is, is the best fielding unit in the league. Watch out for some boundaries saved, couple of sharp catches and half chances for run out being converted.
High on betting meter
Why Delhi fans are disappointed? Because this team has much more potential. And that is why they are convincingly high on most betting meters. Kolkata give a return of well over hundred percent while Delhi a shade under eighty percent.
Who gets the tick?
Delhi are pretty good team to be at the fifth position in the table, but Kolkata have shown that they have the class. Watch out for Mc Grath v Ganguly, Asif v Butt, Ishant v Sehwag and Gul v Gambhir.
© IPL Cricket Forum
IPL tournament has now reached a stage when one cannot just go in with a powerful bat and ball - one is required to think and act and plan out a strategy for every match. Earlier we have expressed doubt about Delhi team in absence of Virender Sehwag’s bat - and twice in the last two matches it proved correct. Dhoni has managed to correct himself while both Shane Warne and Ganguly is putting in adequate mind in every match.
Of course this format of cricket depends heavily on batsman and the initial overs and the runs generated is indicative about the outcome. Also - we have seen a reduction of the total scored in matches and this supports the fact that bowlers are on the learning curve and getting their act together - its not a predictable pattern anymore and one has to change the length, swing, pitch, fielding depending on the batsman, the run rate , no of overs in the match among other things.
Just yesterday we witnessed a thrilling contest and with such matches happening more and more, one can so easily name this Indian Premier League a true blockbuster! Delhi never got going at the start but some late order blitz helped them post a decent total on board. The start for the Royals was no different as they too struggled to get out of the blocks early. Smith made desperate attempts to up the ante but fell soon. Watson never looked back and went on to blast yet another fifty. Just when we thought that it would be all too easy for the Royals, few wickets fell in a heap and things looked like taking a turn. But at the end, the ask wasn’t daunting and the local team came up trumps.
Again for Bangalore Challengers and Deccan Chargers - two teams which looks great on paper but has failed to deliver yet, it seems that there is a total lack of strategy or planning which even reflects on sloppy fielding. The other missing factor is a team-spirit and a desire to win.
This is a tight cricket format and leaves very few room for errors. Going into the match will only leave us with long line of stoic faces in the form of Dravid, Laxman, Sehwag, Yuvraj among others who had the potential but lacked the approach. Hopefully we will see all the teams wake up to this call for planning to kill and make the tournament more thrilling and unpredictable.
Deccan Chargers v Kolkata Knight Riders at Hyderabad
Last time these two teams met, the pitch didn’t set up a happy background but the struggle was superb. The pitch at Hyderabad is likely to be batting friendly. Expect Chargers to come out with revenge on their minds.
Men at the Helm
Ganguly inspired his boys to victory in the last game against Bangalore with a man of the match performance and that too for his bowling. Gilchrist has led the side well in Laxman’s absence but the side is sorely missing his batting.
We have the bat
Batting of both these teams hasn’t been very good. Its only Rohit and Gilchrist, who have clicked for Deccan and even they haven’t fired together. For Kolkata, only David Hussey has looked convincing. But Taibu showed glimpses in the last match.
We have the ball
Knight Riders’ bowling is much stronger than Deccan which they proved in the last match against Bangalore too. Ishant has been phenomenal. Ojha has taken wickets for Chargers but been costly. They dearly want RP Singh to strike big
Patrolling Party
Barring two or three in each side both are average fielding units. But Kolkata were an inspired lot in the field in the last match and Taibu was a revelation.
High on betting meter
This is the reason why nobody dares to speak against this team called Deccan Chargers winning. Even loss after loss they are still higher on betting meter.
Who gets the tick?
Kolkata put in a great performance in the last match but its time for Gilly, Rohit, Gibbs and Styris to write their own script this time.
In the other game yesterday night which got reduced to 16 overs due to rain, Kolkata Knight Riders ended a run of four consecutive defeats to edge out Bangalore by five runs in a low-scoring and rain-affected match.
The Knight Riders batted first at Eden Gardens in Kolkata and compiled just 7 for 129 off 16 overs but it proved to be enough, with the Royal Challengers mustering only 4 for 124 from their 16.
David Hussey’s 26 off 12 balls was the top score for the Knight Riders while captain Sourav Ganguly chipped in with 20 before getting run out.Brad Hodge opened the innings while Dale Steyn took 3 for 27 for Bangalore.
It was with the ball that Ganguly was the unlikely hero, conceding just seven runs from his three overs while taking a wicket for the Knight Riders.
Mark Boucher smashed an unbeaten 50 and Cameron White managed 30 for the Royal Challengers, but it was not enough to meet the target.
Bangalore has now lost six of its eight matches in the tournament and its a mater of concern for the owner also. With the CEO Charu Sharma sacked swiftly and very little co-ordination or team work its a doubt if this team can make it to the first four.
Kolkata Knight Riders v Bangalore Royal Challengers at Kolkata
Bangalore have been facing a lot of flack and being termed a test eleven while Kolkata who had been tagged favorites after the first two matches have lost four on the trot. Both will be out to prove their points.
Men at the Helm
They might say anything but the men at helm Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid have a lot to prove in the shortest version of the game. There is no doubt over their abilities but they need to put a stamp on this version by innovation, improvisation and adaptation.
We have the bat
None of the two teams has been batting well but Kolkata had a good game in terms of batting against Kings XI Punjab and that gives them an edge in this department. Ganguly needs to fire for them and so does Kallis for Bangalore.
We have the ball
Ishant has been a sensation with the ball for Kolkata but his costly last over against Punjab probably cost Kolkata the match. Other bowlers need to come good too. On the other hand, Bangalore are a superb bowling unit. Their bowlers have been doing well consistently. It’s their batting which has let them down. Watch out for Steyn and Zaheer.
Patrolling Party
Kolkata are not a great fielding unit but Hussey and Hafeez are live wires on the field. Bangalore took some sensational catches in the previous games but the last game was a fielding disaster for them. Kohli, Dravid and White are likely to come good.
High on betting meter
Kolkata are high on betting meter owing to their batters and home advantage. But a slow pitch could favour the visitors heavily.
Who gets the tick?
This may be dubbed as the clash of the minnows but it’s going to be a very exciting match. Probably its Bangalore’s turn to make the March
